Southside Productions 2011

HOW TO ESTABLISH FILM CONTINUITY SCRIPT

VIDEO
1 Wide shot of the tutor beside a computer monitor with on-screen text/graphics. On-Screen Graphic: - South Side Productions Logo Tutors Dialogue: Have you ever watched a movie and noticed some mistakes--like someone is wearing a wristwatch in first frameand then two seconds later the wristwatch is gone? If that is the case, you are very much not alonethis is a subject that is probably in every film you have ever seen. You find yourself wondering how they could mess up those details-instead of being engaged in the movie itself. If you aspire to be a filmmaker, todays episode will make sure that your audience would not experience the same doom. Good Day Everyone! And welcome to this tutorial on How to Establish Film Continuity.

AUDIO

Medium shot of the computer monitor with texts on the screen. On-Screen Text: DEFINITION OF CONTINUITY - Arranging of shots in a film to create the effect that the time, location, costume, etc. is constant. Tutors Dialogue: The first thing you should know is the meaning of the word continuity. It is basically the seamlessness of details from one shot to another within a scene and one of the most overlooked subjects in filming. The person who is in charge of this matter is called a script supervisor or continuity supervisor. Tutors Dialogue: There are many different types of continuity. It ranges from lights, to story plots, costumes, dialogues and so on. But we are going to be broad and talk about the four general types of continuity which are:

On-Screen Text: TYPES OF CONTINUITY

Tutors Dialogue: On-Screen Text: Basically a line by line, word by word breakdown of Continuity of Action and Dialogue all the dialogue and action and even song lyrics according to time code and duration in seconds and frames. Any minor change in action or dialogue may confuse a scene, or make a take unusable for editing. Tutors Dialogue: This relates to a breakdown of costume and props Continuity of Costume and Props (could also include make up, special FX, etc.) for
On-Screen Text:

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each set of scenes. This would be prepared during preproduction. On-Screen Text: Tutors Dialogue: This is pertaining to the detailed breakdown of Continuity for Lighting and Camera camera angles, types of shots, and the lighting to be used for each set of scenes. On-Screen Text: Tutors Dialogue: Continuity of sound is easy to maintain if all Continuity of Sound dialogue scenes are shot so that only the voice is recorded and all other sounds are lost. 3 Frontal medium shot of the tutor pointing at the computer monitor. On-Screen Video: Example of Continuity Video Tutors Dialogue: Now let me show you a short video clip and pay close attention to the details.

Wide shot of a car, heading to the parking lot, going towards the camera. Wide shot of a girl driving. Car window half opened on the drivers side of the car. Hair loosen up, she is wearing a white shirt and a skirt, wristwatch on her left wrist, bracelet on her right wrist, sunglasses and slippers. Perspective is from inside the car. Wide shot of a girl, taking her sunglasses off, inside a car. Car window half opened on the drivers side of the car. Her hairs still loosen up, she is still wearing a white shirt and a skirt, bracelet on her right wrist, wristwatch on her left wrist and then she is wearing slippers. Medium shot of the car window being closed from the inside of the vehicle. Her left hand, wristwatch missing, is shown pressing the button to close the car window. Wide shot of the girl getting off the right side of her car. Hair loosen up, she is wearing a white shirt and pants, wristwatch on her left wrist is missing, bracelet on her right wrist is missing, sunglasses still on and shes now wearing shoes. Close up shot of the door being closed by the girl. Car window is closed.

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10 Medium shot of the door already closed. Car window is half opened. 11 Wide shot of the girl walking towards the camera. Her car is in the background. You can still see one of the windows is half opened. The girl is now wearing white shirt, pants, sunglasses on, and then shoes. Her hair is now styled in pigtails. 12 Wide shot of the girl walking. A tree trunk is shown in the middle of the shot. The girl is still wearing white shirt, pants, sunglasses on, shoes and her hair still in pigtails. After she passed by the tree trunk, she is now seen wearing striped shirt, skirt, shoes and hair in pigtails. 13 Wide shot of the girl with her back facing the camera and walking away from it. The girl is now wearing striped shirt, skirt, shoes, hair still in pigtails and she is now seen carrying a shoulder bag. 14 Medium shot of the tutor beside a computer Tutors Dialogue: monitor. Did you manage to spot continuity errors? How many did you find? Now, I will explain point out each inconsistency found in the clip and show you how it should have been done. 15 Split screen of (the incorrect scene) Scene 4 and the (the correct scene) how-it-should-have-been-scene 16 Split screen of (the incorrect scene) Scene 5 and the (the correct scene) how-it-should-have-been-scene 17 Split screen of (the incorrect scene) Scene 6 and the (the correct scene) how-it-should-have-been-scene 18 Split screen of (the incorrect scene) Scene 7 and the Tutors Dialogue: (the correct scene) how-it-should-have-been-scene Notice how the wristwatch is now missing. 19 Split screen of (the incorrect scene) Scene 8 and the Tutors Dialogue: (the correct scene) how-it-should-have-been-scene The girl gets off the wrong side of the car. She is now wearing pants and shoes. And the wristwatch and bracelet is nowhere to be seen. She is also wearing the sunglasses again. 20 Split screen of (the incorrect scene) Scene 9 and the (the correct scene) how-it-should-have-been-scene 21 Split screen of (the incorrect scene) Scene 10 and Tutors Dialogue:

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the (the correct scene) how-it-should-have-beenscene 22 Split screen of (the incorrect scene) Scene 11 and the (the correct scene) how-it-should-have-beenscene 23 Split screen of (the incorrect scene) Scene 12 and the (the correct scene) how-it-should-have-beenscene 24 Split screen of (the incorrect scene) Scene 13 and the (the correct scene) how-it-should-have-beenscene 25 Wide shot of the tutor beside a computer monitor with on-screen text. On-Screen Graphics: - South Side Productions Logo Tutors Dialogue: I believe there has not been a movie made that did not have at least a single continuity error. So challenge yourself and keenly observe scenes when watching a movie. If you want to be a good film maker in the future, you have to pay attention to details because these are very crucial in making films. Without good continuity a motion media would be nothing but a jumbled mess of unrelated clips. Always remember the better the shooting plan, the better are the chances of success in achieving good continuity. That is all the time we have for today. I am Arjay Jumeltico and this has been a Southside productions video. Thank you and watch out for our next tutorial! Observe that the car window is half opened again.

Tutors Dialogue: Notice how the girl magically changes her hairstyle in a matter of seconds. Tutors Dialogue: The girl passes by the trunk and then all of a sudden, she is now seen wearing a striped shirt and a skirt. Tutors Dialogue: Notice how the girl now has a shoulder bag with her which came out of nowhere.